


Pawns and Prophets

by RavenWhitecastle



Series: Gods and Lovers [1]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comfort, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff, Kissing, Not Canon Compliant, Shaw and Root are still canon, but Shaw is still on Team Machine, idk - Freeform, season 5 didn't happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 00:42:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14801072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenWhitecastle/pseuds/RavenWhitecastle
Summary: Shaw was tired of being toyed with. Root assures her she's part of a plan, but Shaw is not a pawn. She's only in it for the dog.Or at least that's what she says.-So this is tagged first kiss, but it's technically the second, counting the one in the basement of the stock market. But it's the first outside of a life-threatening situation.





	Pawns and Prophets

Shaw was not in the mood for games. And yet it seemed like she was a pawn in a lot of games lately. Once again, the Machine had manipulated her into being where it needed her to be, in the right place and the right time to collect something valuable. And she knew they were helping people, but she was still pissed about feeling like she’d been used.

Shaw returned to the subway in an awful mood. She wanted nothing more than to go find something to steal, shoot, or break, but she made herself sit down on the bench to cool off. If she went and broke the law, she’d get a lecture from Harold, and that was the last thing she wanted to deal with.

Root emerged from her bedroom, slipper clad, and padded quietly across the floor. “Morning, sweetie,” she greeted, smiling sweetly. She sat next to Shaw with her legs kicked out and crossed at the ankles. “Looks like another successful mission!”

Shaw let out a long breath through her nose. “Sure does.”

Root batted her eyelashes at Shaw. “Shall we go out and celebrate? I’ll let you pick the place.”

“No thanks.”

Shaw realized her mistake immediately. She never used words like “please” and “thanks” around Root. Her tone was intentionally clipped and usually laced with sarcasm, but with all her anger directed at the Machine and no patience for banter, she’d let the pleasantry slip.

Taking notice, Root sat up straight. “Is everything okay?”

Shaw snapped, unable to maintain her composure any longer. “No, it’s not… _fucking_ okay!” she exploded. She stood and started pacing. “I am tired of all of this _bullshit_!”

Root looked mildly startled at Shaw’s outburst, but she leaned forward to listen anyway. “What bullshit?”

“The Machine! I am sick and tired of Harold’s… _monster child_ ordering me around like it’s plaything, without me even knowing it!” She sighed. “I know that Harold built a god, but I do not exist to be one of its… martyrs!”

“Sweetie, it’s okay,” Root said, standing. “She’s got a plan.”

Shaw rolled her eyes. “And why can’t ‘she’ share her plans with the rest of the class?” she exclaimed, making quotation marks around the word “she.” Shaw continued, “You’re lucky. She talks to you. You’re like… her prophet. I’m just a pawn.” She clenched her fists and grit her teeth. “I don’t like being used, Root.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Shaw saw Root lift a hand as if to comfort her, but she let it drop and whispered, “I know.”

Shaw sighed. “You know, the only reason I haven’t left is the dog.”

Root tilted her head. “The _only_ reason?” she prompted.

Shaw spent a few moments thinking of a reply, but she could only come up with lies. She circled back to the bench, not sure how to continue. She sat and leaned forward with her elbows on her knees, taking another deep breath.

“You know,” Root started, breaking the heavy silence and taking a few steps towards Shaw, “You’re doing a lot of good. You’re very skilled. That’s why she chose you. She thinks very highly of you.”

“I don’t care what she thinks!” Shaw growled.

The declaration hung between them. There was a pause before Root asked, “Then… what _do_ you care about?”

Shaw couldn’t say. She wanted to say. She knew she _should_ say. Maybe Harold would admit it out loud, or even John, but all Shaw could do was wonder if saying it out loud would make it any more true.

So instead of saying anything, Shaw reached up, grabbed Root by the collar, and pulled her down into a kiss.

Root’s hands found their place on either side of Shaw’s face. She sighed happily into the kiss, and when they parted, she whispered, “That’s my girl.”

Shaw breathed in all of Root- the scent of leather and toner and Bear- and felt the stress starting to melt away. “I guess,” she tried, “the dog isn’t the only reason I’m still here.”

Root practically purred. “Never thought I’d hear you say that aloud,” she teased.

Shaw shrugged. “I figured maybe it’s about time.”

“Could there even be a declaration of undying love hiding behind those perfect lips?”

Smirking, Shaw pressed her finger to Root’s lips. “Don’t push it,” she warned, before removing her finger and pulling Root in for another kiss. She lingered there for a time before pulling back and adding, “The dog gets my declarations of love because he can’t use them against me.”

Root giggled. “I get it. You don’t need to tell me what I already know.”

Shaw rolled her eyes again, but she didn’t protest when Root climbed in her lap to kiss her more.


End file.
